What Is and What Should Never Be
by bttf4444
Summary: Doc, Marty and Jennifer take a trip back to 1881 - to witness the signing of a bet. After returning to 1987, they end up in a reality where Hill Valley is a ghost town!
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Back to the Future.**

**Author's Note: Hillcrest, Nevada is a town that I made up - which was founded by Bill Hill's brother, Bob Hill.  
**

_June 20, 1987  
11:30 AM PDT_

Marty McFly smiled warmly at his girlfriend, Jennifer Parker - as they were at Hill Valley Memorial Library. Today was Marty's nineteenth birthday - and he was rather planning a big party, which was going to be held that evening. However, with quite the amount of time travel that Marty's done, he figured that he'd be about several months older.

"This is so awesome, Marty," gushed Jennifer. "It sure looks as if 1959 was a very big year for Hill Valley. Practically overnight, the Hill Valley bank has actually acquired five million bucks. Incidentally enough, that was when this town was in financial trouble."

"Yeah, that sure must've seemed like a miracle," agreed Marty. "Y'know, Doc said that we could go on a time travel trip - since today's my birthday. I was simply thinking, it'd be cool to see what that week was like. Of course, we'd have to be careful not to..."

"That would be too risky, Marty, " pointed out Jennifer. "Your parents would probably recognize you, and..." Noticing something, she added, "Check this out, Marty. William Hill, the founder of this town, made a bet with his brother. In fact, it was quite on the same day as today... in 1881. Robert Hill founded the town of Hillcrest, Nevada."

"That's quite where Mind Warped took place," gasped Marty, stunned. As the librarian shot him a stern look, he lowered his voice. "I really think this is awesome, Jenn. Since the time machine now has the destination locator, we could maybe head over there."

"That's a great idea, Marty," agreed Jennifer, with sudden enthusiasm. "That's where Martin and Juniper moved to, as well. I mean, after we went back in time - and rather managed to avert the tragedy. It's cool, the way they opted to settle in that town."

"Why don't we just run this card through the printer?" suggested Marty, as he flashed a lopsided smile. "This is where Bill and Bob signed that deal, and it also quite mentions how much Hill Valley has earned. Of course, by 1959, Bill and Bob would really both be dead. Now, you said you needed to do a research report on the history of Hill Valley?"

"That's right, Marty," Jennifer replied, smiling. "Of course, you travelled through time - more than I did. Still, I've sure come to gain a huge appreciation for the town. Well, why don't we just check this book out, and take the card with us? That's be quite..."

"I'm tempted to just take the card, and keep it," whispered Marty. "I don't think it'd be right, though. I think we can check this out, for a week. I'd be very happy to help you write for this. Oh, Jennifer, I can't believe that I used to take this town for granted."

"You and me both," Jennifer replied, softly. "Of course, I didn't grow up here. There's one great thing about Doc's time machine. It doesn't quite matter how long we stay in the past. We'll still be in time for the party. Oh, Marty, I sure think it would be a great way of celebrating your birthday. You'll quite be into your second year of adulthood."

"That's right," Marty replied, as he gave his girlfriend a peck. "Still, I feel so nervous. I mean, this is the summer that you and I will be moving into our own place. I sure have mixed feelings on this whole thing. I mean, this is going to be one major step for me."

"I feel the same way, Marty," whispered Jennifer. "Still, this will be so exciting. I quite am looking forward to this. At any rate, it's certainly not as though we'll be leaving Hill Valley. Our parents will remain right in town. We can still visit them, quite regularly."

"That's true," Marty replied, smiling. "It will really be a major step for _us_, in fact. I mean, you and I... I'm so glad that I learned to not react to being called 'chicken'. This is real... Just think of where we'd be, right now - if I sure hadn't..." He looked around, before adding, "Well, I suppose it's better not to think of what might've happened."

Jennifer just gave Marty a warm smile. As the two of them stood up, Marty simply felt excited about going on the trip. Perhaps, they could stay for just a few hours. It sure would feel nice to not have to spend so much time away from the present, for once.

oooooooooo

"Are you sure about this?" Doc asked, as Marty and Jennifer told him their plan. "I just think it might be a little... Well, to be honest, I do find the whole thing to be intriguing. I guess it'd be like the time that I took Marty back to see the founding of Hill Valley. An event would this would be exciting to visit. I guess there's no such harm in doing this."

"Yeah, Doc, we're sure," Marty replied, smiling. "After all, I think it'd be very fun to go on another time travel trip - and have Jennifer come along. Ordinarily, she's really not that much into time travelling. If it's something that she's enthusiastic about, then..."

"I must admit," Jennifer replied, softly, "I'm quite excited with the prospect of meeting Juniper, again. She's a real sweet girl - and it sure breaks my heart, thinking of how... In the original timeline, she actually committed suicide! It's great that we were able..."

"We'll sure have to get the two of you into some era-appropriate clothes," pointed out Doc. "I guess you could just wear some of the same clothes, as you were the last time around." Glancing at his watch, he added, "As usual, I suppose we could rather return about five minutes - from the moment that we left. It's just shortly after noon, so..."

"I have an idea," Marty suggested, as he snapped his fingers. "We could just show up about, uh, two hours later. We can stay there for about two hours, and then we sure can..." With a shrug, he added, "Never mind! I guess that wouldn't work, very well."

"I do think it'd be best to return, just minutes after leaving," explained Doc. "If you're feeling concerned about being too tired for your party, you sure can take a little nap. You can just sleep at my house - if you're worried that your parents might suspect..."

"I suppose that's the best we can do," agreed Marty, smiling. "Well, I'm looking rather forward to this. It says here that the deal was actually signed... in a saloon!" Shaking his head, he added, "Man! That sounds like an odd place to sign a deal. Apparently, it was done that way - because there were a lot of witnesses. I wonder how many..."

"Interesting," mumbled Doc, as he took a close look at the card. "It says here that the signing was done at 3:30 PM, on June 20 of 1881. Of course, the time might be a little off." Opening up a chest, he added, "Now, we have to get you guys some clothes."

"Marty, can you braid my hair?" asked Jennifer, as her lips curved into a smile. "I know we don't quite have time to put my hair in ringlets. Perhaps, you could put my hair into a bun. I suppose we could identify ourselves as guardian angels, again. Only, we..."

"Michael McFly," whispered Marty, as he motioned for Jennifer to sit down. He began to braid his girlfriend's hair, as he added, "The thing is, I sure think it's best to just be guardian angels, to Martin and Juniper. To everyone else, I'll really be Michael McFly. As for you, it... You'd be Jennifer something. Maybe not Jennifer Parker, though."

"Jennifer Wells," suggested Jennifer, softly. "I simply think it'd be best, and it'd... This is gonna be very exciting. Apparently, younger sister Clara opted to move with Martin and Juniper. This would be a big part of why her life was also, inadvertently, saved."

"Yeah, it's just interesting to think of how that worked out," agreed Marty. "Well, your braid is finished. I just need to pin it into a bun, now." Turning to Doc, he asked, "Doc, can we borrow one of Clara's pins?" To Jennifer, he whispered, "You'll look so lovely."

"Sure," Doc replied, just as he pulled some clothes from the trunk. "Why don't you put these on? It might be a hot day, so we don't want for you to be too warm. This will be just the first time, come to think of it, that we'll be using the destination locator for it's intended purpose. Don't get me wrong. I think inter-dimensional travel is great. I..."

"I see what you mean, Doc," Marty replied, smiling. Turning to Jennifer, he added, "It would be a very interesting experience, indeed. Well, I gotta to put these clothes on.  
This is going to be one very exciting day. I would simply love to witness the signing."

"So would I, Marty," Jennifer replied, as she simply began to pull off her shirt. Looking into the mirror, she added, "You did quite good, Marty. Of course, after my hair is put into a bun, I'm going to look a little older. It's quite funny to think of how that works."

"Aw, Jenn, you'll still look beautiful," Marty replied, as he changed his shirt. "I do think two hours would give us enough time, and it wouldn't be all too overwhelming. Do you remember the trip that we went on, with Doc's family? The thing is, we just acted as if we were already married. I'm telling you, Jennifer. Those were just such good times!"

"I found some pins," called out Doc, as he held up a small basket. "It's now 12:47. I do think it'd be best to leave right away. I guess I should change, as well. You two rather look great." Handing the basket to Marty, he added. "We'll plan on returning at 1:00."

"That sounds just fine, Doc," Marty replied, smiling. To Jennifer, he added, "Sit down, Jenn. I'm gonna set your hair up." Jennifer sat down - as she turned to the mirror. As Marty worked on his girlfriend's hair, he added, "Well, you look like an Old West girl!"

"Come on, you two," called out Doc, as he motioned for the station wagon. Marty and Jennifer stepped in, as Doc crawled into the front. "As usual, we'll sure head off to Hill Valley Park. Once we get there, I'll really look for an inconspicuous place for us to land - in Hillcrest, Nevada. We could then head to the saloon, and grab a little bite to eat."

"That sounds good, Doc," Marty replied, as he gave Jennifer's arm a gentle squeeze. This was going to be a little different from his other time travel trips. When the group went to Virginia City, Nevada - they ended up having to drive all the way over there.


	2. Chapter 1

_June 20, 1881  
1:30 PM PST_

"Did we make it, Doc?" Marty asked, just as the station wagon crossed the space-time barrier. He looked around, as he added, "The place does look a little different from Hill Valley Park. Not be too much, but... I must say, this really is a new experience. I sure hope that we... that we didn't, somehow, end up landing in a different dimension."

"Nope," replied Doc, as he glanced at the destination panel, "we're still in our world. It worked!" As he landed, he added, "I rather think it's best that we stick together. We'll have to find where the saloon is. We all have to remember, we're not in Hill Valley."

"This is Hillcrest, Nevada?" asked Jennifer, awed. "Well, I've never been to this town - even in the present. Well, I really still think this is exciting - and it's still an event that's related to Hill Valley. Not that I think the world revolves around Hill Valley, of course."

"I understand what you meant, Jenn," Marty replied, as he stepped out of the station wagon. Looking at Doc, he added, "Come to think of it, it really might be interesting to observe a bigger event. Maybe, something like Woodstock - or else... As much as just enjoy learning about the history of our hometown, it might be nice to take a little..."

"You've probably seen just about all there is to see of Hill Valley, by now," commented Jennifer, laughing. "Granted, I rather suppose there is the possibility of going into the far future. Still, I just realize there's so much more of history that you have yet to..."

"That might be a little too risky, though," commented Doc, sighing. "Well, I guess we'd better get going. I don't quite think there is much risk of anyone find our time machine here. Anyway, according to the display panel, the saloon is over to the northwest."

"Well, Doc, I hope we can find the saloon," Marty replied, as he placed his arm around Jennifer. "I just hope there won't be any outlaws, when we get to the saloon. It quite seems as... I'm nearly expecting for someone to, sooner or later, call out 'McFly' - and insist that he told me never to come in. I mean, that seems to almost always happen."

"I think you're just feeling rather nervous, Marty," suggested Jennifer, softly. "I really am excited about this. It's quite strange to think that Martin and Juniper should decide to settle in this town. I mean, it's..." Just then, Jennifer's eyes began to grow wide.

As Marty looked up, he immediately realized why Jennifer became shocked. He caught sight of none other than Martin and Juniper McFly! Furthermore, he quite noticed that Juniper was pregnant. For some reason, the very concept made him feel so uneasy.

"Well, howdy!" called out Martin, as he turned around. It appeared as if he was about to faint. "Hey, haven't we seen you around? After all, two of you quite resemble June and me. Also, the older man with you simply..." Turning to his wife, he asked, "Do you recognize who these people are, June? I sure can't seem to shake the feeling that..."

"Why, yes, I reckon I do!" gasped Juniper, as she turned around. "I believe those are the guardian angels! Don't you remember, Martin? They saved your life! It was a very miraculous event, I declare. If not for them, you would've been stabbed in a saloon."

"Good heavens!" gasped Martin, in a near whisper. "It was when I sprained my ankle, and I was in danger of..." With a sudden look of worry, he asked, "Why did you come back? Is something else bad about to happen? My goodness! I should hope that..."

"Don't fret, Martin," Marty replied, softly. Quite nervously, he added, "I mean, we are guardian angels. We're simply here to protect you from harm. As long as we're here... Well, you'll have nothing to worry about." He glanced at his girlfriend, who nodded. "A special day, it looks like. So, later today, a important deal will be signed in the saloon?"

"Well, I'm not quite certain of how important it is," Martin explained, softly. "It's more of a bet, than anything. Seamus and Maggie are on their way to Hill Valley, California - and it's a bet between the founder of this town... and the founder of Hill Valley."

"Not only that," added Juniper, smiling, "but that's also where Mark and Jamie live. My little sister, Clara, is spending about two months there. It's very queer to think of how much she's growing. She turned fourteen, not long ago. She's no longer a little girl."

"Why don't you show us to the saloon?" suggested Jennifer. "So, uh... Just how does it feel, being a married couple? I mean, are you feeling quite nervous about... being a mother? You must be... about nineteen years old. How do it feel for you to just, uh... to be taking a big step in your life? Not to say that I'm not happy for you, but it's..."

"I just turned nineteen," Martin replied, flashing a lopsided smile. "A little over a month ago, in fact. I've undergone a lot of changes, within the past few years. It sure was a scary experience, I recall. Still, if I hadn't left Ireland... I never would've met June."

"That's sure right," Juniper replied, in a sultry voice. "I won't be nineteen, for another two months. I'll admit to being a little frightened. While I've had some experience with caring for small children, I daresay that being a mother is a little different. After all..."

"You'll be fine, honey," Martin replied, as he placed his arm around his wife. Turning to the others, he added, "Well, just follow us. This sure is an exciting day for us, indeed! We've been looking so forward to this day, for quite a long time. Sometimes, I wonder what this country will be like - in the next hundred years. Or even in the year 1900."

"Ah, yes, the 20th century," Juniper exclaimed, as a smile spread across her face. "It will certainly be real intriguing, indeed. Many people have been predicting that, within the next hundred years, many technological advances will be made. It should be..."

"I see you've been reading Jules Verne," commented Martin, indulgently. "I do wonder how many of those predictions will be accurate. Indeed, by the time we reach evening on December 31 of 1899... Well, that would almost certainly be a night to celebrate!"

"Gonna party like it's 1899?" asked Marty, flashing a lopsided smiled. The whole group really burst out laughing. "Anyhow, why don't the two of you walk ahead? We'll catch up with you, quite shortly?" Martin and Juniper simply nodded. After they were about a hundred yards ahead, Marty whispered, "Well, this is certainly rather interesting."

"It is," replied Doc, quietly. "I can't believe that they've both actually taken up reading Jules Verne. It certainly is rather fascinating, in fact, just thinking of what people from this time period... would predict about our time. Since the Industrial Revolution..."

"I don't understand complaints about works being too dated," Jennifer commented, as she shook her head. "After all, I think it's real fascinating to read or watch stories that are set in the future - but are, to us, the past. I do like to compare the differences..."

"In about two decades," explained Doc, "steampunk will become a popular genre." As Marty and Jennifer looked quite confused, he added. "Just think Jules Verne. In fact, steampunk is similar to Jules Verne's works. They are written by modern day authors, though - who'll often use steampunk-versions of modern technology in their works."

"I think I know what you mean," Jennifer replied, smiling. "That sounds like something I'd be very interested in. I quite wonder if it'd be possible for rock music to exist, with steampunk technology. Well, I suppose the instruments could be steam-powered."

"Quite likely," Doc replied, smiling. "Actually, this year is in the _Second_ Industrial Revolution... or the Technical Revolution. By this time, it's became nearly a certainty that we'd be making huge progress in the years to come. Well, we'd better hustle."

"Right, Doc," Marty replied, nodding. Turning to Jennifer, he added, "Oh, Jenn, I just think it's totally awesome! We have an ancestry that stems to _this_ town - as well as Hill Valley. It's rather strange, though, to think that Martin and Juniper are already married. I mean, they're about the same age as us. Oh, how so much has changed!"

"Yeah, it's just rather unsettling," agreed Jennifer, as she pulled out a card. "Granted, we're in the process of moving into our own apartment. Still, I sure can't imagine being a mother. Apparently, it's going to be about another decade - until Marlene is born."

"I certainly can't get over how we already know who our children will be," commented Marty, with a nervous chuckle. "At any rate, when we came here... it was 1:30 PM. I just..." He grabbed the card, as he took a close look at it. "Jenn, we'd better hurry!"

"What is it?" asked Jennifer, as Marty showed the card to her. "Goodness, Marty! This card here says that the signing was done at 3:00 PM! Granted, the time might just not be accurate - considering the era. Still, we only have about an hour to get there. That really would be a major waste of a trip, if we actually end up missing the whole thing."

"Well, let's get going," urged Marty, as he grabbed Jennifer's arm. "I wonder what the saloon has. I know that asking for iced water is simply out of the question. I suppose I can go for a little sarsaparilla, or maybe some cordial. Definitely not whiskey, though!"

"You should go for the cordial," suggested Juniper, turning around. "This place serves orange cordial and grape cordial. Both are quite splendid flavours. You should also try some of those candies. They actually have orange drops, which taste real heavenly."

Marty just smiled, as he and Jennifer caught up with their mutual indirect ancestors. It sure was a great way to spend one's birthday. It seemed rather strange to think that, in a previous timeline, Martin and Juniper never made it to this town. He really couldn't help but feel insecure, though - by just how far behind he and Jennifer seemed to be.


	3. Chapter 2

_June 20, 1881  
2:30 PM PST_

Marty was awed by what he saw, as the group reached downtown. On one hand, the place sure looked to be somewhat different from the downtown of 1885 Hill Valley. On the other hand, place also looked to be quite similar. He really was quick to catch sight of the saloon - which, naturally, was complete with the unmistakable swinging doors.

"I think I'll try some grape cordial," Marty commented, excitedly. "That stuff sounds so nice . I really think it'd be a good way to celebrate the special occasion. It sure sounds like your local saloon has quite the variety. Come to think of it, I'm getting so thirsty."

"I quite prefer orange cordial myself," explained Martin, "but I enjoy grape, from time to time. My wife, though, sure can devour the grape ones. With the weather actually being the way it is, I certainly do reckon that it's a good idea to drink a lot of liquids."

"It's sure kind of ironic," Jennifer replied, laughing, "as I myself tend to prefer orange. I'm so excited to try out the candy, as well." Looking around, she added, "I simply see that a lot of people are out and about. It really looks as if this is... is a rapidly growing town. I gather that the two of you really do, uh, take much pride in the community."

"Be careful for the horse crap, Jenn," Marty warned, softly. Jennifer looked down, as she looked horrified. She stepped out of the way, just in time. "That's really one thing I don't care about..." Remember that Martin and Juniper were there, he trailed off.

"I daresay that can be rather annoying," agreed Martin, sympathetically. "Well, there are far worse thing to deal with. Bart Needles is what I'm very worried about. I simply don't understand why he insists on following us around. I mean, what does he want?"

"I don't think he ever got over you marrying me," Juniper suggested, softly. "He quite doesn't know when to give up. His younger brother, Billy, is just as dreadful - and just seems to be mighty obsessed with young Clara. Sometimes, I rather worry about her. People like those Needles should be locked up. If Billy lays one finger on Clara, I'm..."

"Well, I'm glad that I finally stopped listening to Bart," Martin replied, softly. "It rather was foolish of me to take on his dares." Turning to Marty, he added, "I sure have you to thank. Just thinking of where I might be, today.... Well, it's sure a scary thought."

"Don't mention it," Marty replied, with a warm smile. "I'm quite happy that you learned your lesson, and I'm sure that your dear brother is also thrilled. I mean, I'm quite sure he would've felt terrible - had you ended up being stabbed in that saloon. It really..."

"I miss Seamus, sometimes," replied Martin, smiling. "After all, Hill Valley sure is a long ways from here. Come to think of it, I'm very curious of why the Hill brothers decided to do the signing here." Looking up he added, "Well, folks, here we are. This is simply going to be a day to remember, and something that we can tell our children about."

"Yeah, I can quite imagine that," Marty replied, smiling. He began to wonder if Hillcrest had any financial trouble, since Hill Valley was the winner of the bet. He just smiled, as he looked around the saloon. It somewhat reminded him of the saloon from Hill Valley.

"Howdy, folks," called out the bartender, as he walked up to the group. As he glanced between the two couples, he gasped, "Wow! It simply feels like I'm seeing double. Are you all... If I didn't know any better, I could swear that I'm seeing two sets of twins."

"Actually," Marty replied, nervously, "we're, uh, look-alike cousins. We just get that a lot, though. My name's Michael, and this is Jennifer." He then glanced around, before adding, "Wow, the place looks quite packed! I guess everyone must be excited about the... the signing of the bet. I suppose this town has a lot of, uh, community spirit."

"They do," replied the bartender, nodding. "'Tis a shame, though, that everyone here will likely not be alive on the deadline year. I do wonder why the Hills just opted to set the deadline so far into the future. Well, at any rate, can I get you folks something?"

"Aye," replied Martin. "We'll just take a bowl of lemon drops, orange drops, and grape drops. Also, we'd sure like two tumblers of grape cordial and three tumblers of orange cordial." looking around, he added, "Actually, I think we should purchase the bottles."

"I reckon I could do that for you," replied the bartender, smiling. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he added, "It simply looks as if the Hill brothers should be here, soon. It's really a curious choice, the name that Bill Hill chose for his Californian town. The name 'Hill Valley' must just attract some odd looks. I'll be back with your drinks, very soon."

"See you later," called out Martin. To the rest of the group, he added, "He has a good point. When you rather think of it, 'Hill Valley' is quite a... What do you call it? Aye, it's an oxymoron. I've yet to visit the town, but Seamus reckons that he loves it there."

"I do wonder how Clara likes it," Juniper replied, as a smile spread across her face. As the bartender set the drinks and candy on the table, she added, "Thank you, sir. This is nice." She lifted up a grape drop, as she added, "I can barely get enough of them."

"I think I'll simply try one, too," commented Marty, as he popped a grape drop into his mouth. He was amazed by delicious it tasted, as he savoured the intense flavour. "Of course, this is a rather good treat," he added, softly. While he didn't care for much of the meat from the era, the candy was a different story. "I see why you love them."

"Try the orange drops, too," suggested Martin, flashing a lopsided smile. "It's almost a lot like biting into a ripe orange. At any rate, I simply wonder how long you're planning to stay. By the way, why didn't you tell the bartender that you're actually angels?"

_Because we're not?_ Marty thought, somewhat nervously. "Well, we rather didn't want to seem as if we're being... conceited. After all, there's a real possibility that he might not believe us. We didn't think that it's be... It's best to remain inconspicuous."

"I reckon you're right, Michael," agreed Martin, nodded. "After all, many folks do claim that they believe in angels - but, if ever encountered by one, will certainly just regard it with skepticism. Hypocrites and pretenders, the lot of them are - but I believe you."

"Well, I actually wouldn't be so hard on them," suggested Marty. _Especially since I'm not truly an angel._ Suddenly, he was reminded the scene from It's a Wonderful Life - where Clarence's continual insistence of being an angel quite caused him and George to get thrown out of a tavern. "Many might not expect angels to frequent a saloon."

"I reckon I can't argue with that," replied Martin. "I suppose it might just seem a queer sight, seeing an actual angel inside a saloon. Actually, Mother and Father rather might not approve the idea of me being at a saloon - if they were still alive, and with us."

"I can quite understand that view, somewhat," replied Juniper, as she placed her arm around Martin. "Especially considering how, if not for the intervention of our guardian angels, you... might've been stabbed in a saloon. That would've been so horrifying."

"I quite wish you'd stop reminding me of that, June," insisted Martin, shuddering. In a softer voice, he added, "I understand how terrified you must've felt. It's simply in the past, though - and I... Well, as Seamus and Maggie have often told me, it's sure best to look to the future. We have a baby, on the way. That's very exciting, I must say."

"It seems like an awfully huge step, though," Juniper replied, in a near whisper. "It's a somewhat scary process. The baby will be born, even before I turn twenty. I've quite heard of people having babies as young at thirteen. Still, it seems as if... I sure do..."

"In all honesty, I also feel a little nervous," replied Martin, huskily. Turning to Doc, he asked, "What about you? I mean, you've been very quiet. Are you a guardian angel, as well? The last time I saw you, I believe you were also with Michael and Jennifer."

"Yeah, I'm also a guardian angel," Doc replied, with real unease. Marty simply couldn't help but feel a little amused by the idea of his scientist friend being an angel. "In fact, I'm their mentor and guide. Of course, Michael and Jennifer are actually doing a great enough job - without my help. Still, I was sent here - in order to, uh, oversee things."

"Well, that's very interesting," cooed Juniper. "I sure guess we have nothing to worry about, as long as you folks are here. It has come as a little shock to us, though. I just realized how much I missed you. At any rate, how long are you planning to stay?"

"Actually, we were only planning to stay for today," explained Doc. "Shortly after the signing between the Hill brothers, we were ... planning to return to heaven. You sure have nothing to fear, though. You two are actually destined towards a great future."

"That's quite nice to hear," replied Martin. "Of course, being as you folks are angels, I guess you're watching over us - at all times." With a sudden serious look, he asked, "I just realized something. I certainly miss Mother and Father, quite terribly. I was really wondering if... you've ever spoken with them. Could you relay a message to them?"

"Yeah, I've spoken with your parents," Marty replied, trying to remain calm. "In fact, I talk to them... rather often. They quite wanted me to let you know that your future is whatever you make it - and, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything."

As Marty gazed into the slate-blue eyes of his ancestor and namesake, he simply saw how Martin looked wistful. Marty, in fact, had a good idea of what it was like to lose a parent - as he remembered seeing his father's gravestone, in the Biffhorrific world.


	4. Chapter 3

_June 20, 1881  
2:55 PM PST_

Marty smiled, as he looked around. Of course, it was so exciting to be able to run into Martin and Juniper - and it seemed a little strange to think that Juniper was pregnant, when she wasn't any older than Jennifer. He simply had to keep in mind, though, that this was a different time period. All in all, this sure was a very interesting experience.

"It's about time," whispered Martin, as he looked around. "I reckon that we're going to simply end up with a memorable story to, one day, tell to our dear..." He smiled, as he patted his wife's belly. "I wonder if our children will opt to remain in this town, as well."

Marty simply smiled at his ancestor and namesake, and then turned to the front of the saloon - where a podium had been set up. He then spotted two men with greying hair, who he deducted to be the Hills. One of them then pounded his gavel on the podium.

"Attention, ladies and gentlemen," called out Bob. "Today is a rather major day for my brother and me. In the year 1855 - which was nearly 26 years ago - we each founded a new town. I was the one who simply started this good ol' town of Hillcrest, Nevada - while my dear brother was the one who started the town of Hill Valley, California."

"That would be me," added Bill, as he stood up. "It was in the year of 1846, when we stumbled across this piece of land - of what would later become Hillcrest. Bob actually opted to stay here - while my desire was to head for California, and settle there."

"Within the intervening years, our towns have simply grown," continued Bob. "It's just amazing to see how far we've really gone. Anyway, my brother and I decided to have a bet. As my Fanny was born in the year 1859, we opted to set the year for 1959."

"By that time," continued Bill, "we'd likely be dead. However, we quite expect to have some descendants alive by that year. At any rate, the bet is to really see which town will really end up with the higher population. On this very day of 1959, he losing town will owe the winning town a thousand dollars, times inflation rate, times population."

"That sure would be the population of the winning town," clarified Bob. "Hereby, as of this moment, my dear brother and I will engage in the signing of a contract - which will legally stand, and be upheld by the council of our respective towns. With that, we..."

Marty watched on, as the Hill brothers each lifted up a quill pen - and, with a flourish, they signed the document. In a sense, Marty began to feel rather bad for Martin and Juniper - and then he realized that, by the year 1959, both would no longer be alive.

"The deal's now been signed, folks," called out Bob, as he held up the document. "This document will be framed and hung in the town council hallway. Thanks to all of you for coming. I'm very pleased to see that the witnesses number in more than fifty. And so, my friends, this concludes an important historical moment. Have a blessed day, folks!"

"At least, they aren't just requiring all the witnesses to sign," whispered Marty, to Doc and Jennifer. To the rest of the group, he added, "I suppose it's rather about time for us..." Turning to Martin, he added, "Remember the message that I relayed to you?"

"You mean, from my parents?" Martin asked, as tears filled his eyes. "Of course! I can never forget what they've said. I just wish you could stay, a little longer. If you really have to go, now - could you, uh... Could you send a little message to my parents?"

"Oh, I think so," Marty replied, flashing a lopsided smile. Then, for a brief moment, he felt rather bad about not being able to actually deliver the message - until he thought of something else. "Of course, your parents would already know. After all, they quite see you... all the time. Still, if it would make you feel better, you could still tell me."

"On the day that Mother and Father died," Martin whispered, as tears really began to slip down his cheeks, "I said some... Well, we sure had a rather nasty argument - and I... Well, I said some things that I didn't mean. Oh, how I wish I could take it back."

"It's all right, Martin," whispered Marty, as he drew his ancestor close. It upset him to see Martin crying. "I'm sure that your parents understand. It's quite obvious that you loved them, rather deeply - and _they_ realize that, too. Please, calm your spirit."

"Your guardian angel is absolutely right," agreed Juniper, as she placed her hands on her husband's shoulders. "None of us are perfect, after all - and we sure all have our regrets. I'm sure that your parents really wouldn't be pleased by your troubled spirit. I never knew your parents, of course - but I reckon they'd like for you to be happy."

"Yeah, listen to your wife," agreed Marty, as he released his namesake. "At any rate, it's about time for us to head back. I'll, uh, be sure to let your parents know what you told me. You needn't fret. They forgave you, a long time ago - and they love you."

"Thank you, Michael," replied Martin, as the group stepped up from the table. "I think I'll purchase a few bottles of cordial, and then we'd better head back to our place. Of course, I now feel relieved. It's as if... a burden has finally been lifted off my chest."

"Now, I quite wish you both farewell and godspeed," called out Marty, as he flashed a lopsided smile. Upon reaching the saloon doors, he waved to Martin and Juniper - who were standing by the bar. Turning to Doc, he added, "Well, I guess this is really it. It's about time to go back to the future. I'm glad that I was... able to make a difference."

"It's sure hard to believe that they're married," whispered Jennifer, as the trio headed for the park. "I can't imagine being pregnant, right now. Sometimes, I can quite barely believe that I'm an adult. Well, nonetheless, I'm simply happy for Martin and Juniper."

oooooooooo

When the saloon was almost cleared out, Bart Needles headed over to the table of his old nemesis - who simply had the audacity to marry the girl that _he_ loved. Juniper was _his_ girl, and he would never forgive the Irish bug for rather snatching the girl out of his reach. Perhaps, one day, he might just be able to get his revenge on McFly.

When he lifted up a card, which he just found on the table, he could hardly believe his eyes. He quite wondered if it was some kind of a joke. The card was stamped in 1959, and it was apparent that Hill Valley won the bet - and ended up receiving the funds.

"What is it, Bart?" asked one of his goons, as he grabbed the card. "This can't be... I'll bet some knucklehead decided that it'd be a very cute prank to play. It rather must've come from... Perhaps, whoever designed this hoax card has a grudge on this town."

"Aw, who cares about that?" snorted Bart, as he grabbed the card back. "I sure have no such particular fondness for the losers of this rat town. I wager that the townsfolk of Hill Valley are also such huge losers." Realizing something, he added, "Although, on the off-chance that this card is genuine, we... Although, by 1959, we might not..."

"Actually, Bart, that's a brilliant idea!" exclaimed another goon. "Even if _we_ might not be around... Perhaps, we could actually ensure that one of our future kin gets his hands on the money. In case this really _isn't_ a joke, it'd just be a good idea to..."

Bart, along with all three of goons, simply broke out into chuckles. How he was thrilled with the idea of his future kin striking it rich! He also really was thrilled with the idea of scrounging an entire town of losers of their money. The prospect gave him such glee.

oooooooooo

"In a way," Marty commented, as the group reached the park, "I rather do feel a little regretful that... that we just couldn't spend more time with Martin and Juniper. It was really a pleasure, being able to see them. Then, again, it might've been disastrous. At least, this did turn out to be a short trip. Even the time vehicle is in very good shape."

"Yeah, thank goodness for that," Doc replied, smiling. "Well, I sure can see the station wagon. It's probably about time to hightail it back to 1987. I'm rather excited to get to that party, I'm almost tempted just go back a few hours... from the time that we left."

"Well, that might not be a great idea," Marty replied, softly. "Jennifer and I sure have a few things we'd like to do, before the party starts. Besides, what if something really was to come up... and they can't find us? No, it's better to just not rush everything."

"You're sure right, Marty," Doc replied, softly. "Now that I remember, I was also going to do something with Clara and the boys." With a wistful sigh, he added, "It sure feels real strange, in fact, thinking of just how much the boys are growing. Verne is already seven - and, in less than two months, Jules will be nine. Man, how time simply flies!"

"It just seems like almost yesterday," commented Marty, "when you first unveiled the time machine to me." As the group reached the station wagon, he added, "It's a very strange feeling - think that I've already been nineteen, for the past few months."

"There sure is one drawback to that," Jennifer pointed out, as the group stepped into the station wagon. "As you reach legal drinking age, you rather won't be able to drink on your true 21st birthday. Not legally, anyway. To some people, that's sure be a..."

"It's not a big deal," Marty replied, smiling. "I'm not much of a gambler, either." As Doc gave him a look, he added, "Okay, so there actually was this thing with the almanac. I learned my lesson, though. After I saw what all happened, when Biff got his hands on the almanac... Well, it's rather cured me of that. Just cut me a little slack, Doc, okay?"

"You're right, Marty," Doc replied, as he set the time circuits. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't've simply given you that look." He started the ignition, before announcing, "All right, you two, we are heading back to 1:30 PM. Brace yourselves for temporal displacement."


	5. Chapter 4

_June 20, 1987  
1:30 PM PDT_

"Wow, Doc, that was really a quick trip!" gasped Marty, as the station wagon crossed the space-time barrier. "It feels great to be back home. Of course, I've come to really enjoy time travel. Still, sometimes it just feels very nice to make it a quick one - rather than stay for an entire week. In fact, I'm still just in the mood for my birthday party!"

"That's great to hear," Jennifer replied, smiling. "It sure feels good to be back in 1987. I was thinking that, uh, Marty and I could just go out for lunch." Turning to Marty, she asked, "How's it feel to be nineteen years old? Is that, uh, sort of hard to imagine?"

"I must be about a few months older, by now," suggested Marty. "I just gave up with keeping track, a long time ago. Of course, math just never has been my strong point. If our band actually gets discovered - I probably won't be time travelling, as much."

"I'd love to be on the road with you," Jennifer replied, coyly, "when that happens. I'm really wishing the best for you. I suppose you will be busy, and you simply won't have as much time for time travel." She started to giggle - as she added, "It seems so ironic to think of, in fact. No time for _time_ travelling? That almost doesn't make sense!"

"I see what you mean," agreed Marty, chuckling. "I suppose I could work around that, if I really wanted to. Still, if I was to time travel too much... Sooner or later, it'd rather catch up with with me. The aging, I mean. Of course, with rejuvenation surgery, it..."

"It could also be a strain on the space-time continuum," pointed out Doc. "We have to just keep that in mind, as well." With a sigh, he added, "Why don't I just drop the two of you off at Marty's house? After that, I want to spend some time with the family."

"That sounds fine with me, Doc," Jennifer replied, cheerfully. With a sudden gasp, she added, "Actually, Doc, I take that back. Just take a look around. Something about this place really seems more than a little... off. I simply can't seem to place my finger on it, but I have a very weird feeling that... Something seems to smell rotten in Denmark."

"What?" Marty asked, stunned. As glanced out the window, he started to understand what Jennifer meant. "Now, I sure see what you mean," muttered Marty, as a feeling of dread crept over him. "But I don't... We were only in the past, for a few hours."

"Great Scott!" gasped Doc, as his face turned white. "You both are simply right. We're almost at Lyons Estates - and it quite... We sure must've done something, you two, in order to drastically alter the course of history. We'll need to find out how, though."

"What the hell?" gasped Marty, as he sure felt shocked by what he saw. He saw that most of the houses on Lyons Estates were only partially built. Even his family's house was unfinished. At least, the roof and the foundation really were complete. Still, only the front portion of the house was covered with siding. "I can't believe this, Doc!"

"Well, that's a bummer," Doc replied, sighing. "Only the foundation for my house is up. We'll just have to figure out what happened. I never expected for a quick jaunt to the past to be so... so disastrous. First order of business, checking the downtown area."

"This really is horrifying," moaned Jennifer. Glancing at the display panels, she added, "It's so hard to believe that we're really in 1987. I rather hope we can figure out what went wrong. Well, at any rate, I don't even want to see if _my_ house is still up."

"I know the first place that we should really check out," suggested Doc, quietly. "We'll simply head on over to the Courthouse Square. Quite likely, that should give us a few clues as to what happened. If Lyon's Estates never finished being built, I have a very good feeling that the mall also isn't around. I hope we don't have to stay here, long."

"You and me both, Doc," muttered Marty, as his heart was beating rapidly. "Jennifer, too, I'd presume." Marty glanced into his girlfriend's face, and saw that she looked so terrified. "We'll get through all this, Jennifer," he whispered, trying to sound hopeful.

oooooooooo

As the group reached the downtown area, Marty felt quite shocked by what he saw. The Courthouse Square really looked to be almost the same, as Marty remembered it from 1955! There was one huge exception, though. The whole area looked to be run down. There wasn't another car to be seen. He began to feel absolutely horrified.

"Great Scott!" gasped Doc, as he glanced around. "If my estimation is correct, it looks as if Hill Valley has become a real ghost town! Well, I suppose it could be much worse. At least, the courthouse hasn't turned in Biff's Pleasure Paradise. That much could..."

"I'm not so sure, Doc," Marty replied, nervously. "We'll have to find out how the town got this way. For all we know, we could be under a totalitarian government. Say, you don't suppose we really could have had some sort of a nuclear war - do you, Doc?"

"No," Doc replied, shaking his head. "If this place had a nuclear war, everything would be far more rundown - and there'd be plenty of radiation in the air. No, the best bet is to head over the library - and see if we... Actually, scratch that! It looks as if our only option is to just head to a neighbouring town. Perhaps, we could give Elmdale a shot."

"You're the doc, Doc," Marty replied, forcing a smile. "I have a feeling that the library might not tell us much. They wouldn't have any new material, since the day this town had... died." Tears filled his eyes, as he added, "In a way, this is so heartbreaking."

"I quite understand what you mean, Marty," Jennifer replied, as she placed a hand on Marty's shoulder. "It quite seems as if... I can't seeing our town in this state. At least, the clock is still stuck on the same time. Still, the courthouse looks a little... rundown."

"Well, I suppose we rather got more than what we bargained for," commented Marty, with a heavy sigh. "I mean, for once, we sure planned on taking a quick jaunt into the past - and, just when we think everything has actually gone perfectly well, we end up with... with _this_! Oh, Doc, why did this have to happen... right on my birthday?"

"We're really not going to get very far," Doc pointed out, "by despairing. This is simply troubling to me, too. I was simply hoping to have the afternoon to spend time with my family, and... We'll just need to be calm about this, and figure out what went wrong."

"You're right, Doc," Marty replied, sighing. "Well, since this town rather appears to be dead, I guess Elmdale would just be our best bet. The library there will probably have a few books on... on what happened to their neighbouring town. Still, I do feel as..."

"None of us really are happy about the situation," replied Doc, as they stopped by the railroad tracks. "I suppose I rather shouldn't be too surprised to see that Hilldale is not even under construction. It certainly is quite an odd sight, indeed. Well, from what we saw of the Courthouse Square - we could deduct..." Suddenly, his voice trailed off.

"What's wrong, Doc?" Marty asked, worriedly. Suddenly, he caught sight of what was real upsetting to Doc. He saw that the sign next to the railroad actually read "Clayton Ravine". He couldn't blame his friend for being upset. "Oh, Doc, I'm so terribly sorry."

"I suppose this means that..." Doc started to explain, quietly. He seemed to be trying hard to not cry. "Something sure must've happened, which caused me to not show up in 1885. This isn't good. I can't stand to think of beloved Clara... being down there."

"We have a time machine, Doc," reminded Marty, in an attempt to be reassuring. "This still would be pretty upsetting to you, though. I understand that." Realizing something else, he added, "In this case, I wonder if this would mean that I also never showed up in 1955." With sudden horror, he gasped, "Perhaps, I might actually not even exist!"

"C'mon, you two," urged Jennifer, trying to remain calm. "Now is not the time to worry about... What I mean is, if we rather hope to figure out what exactly went wrong - so that we can fix it. Well, now is simply not the time to get caught up in our emotions."

"Jenn is right, Doc," Marty agreed, swallowing. "At any rate, I'm feeling very hungry. We should maybe stop for a bite to eat, after reaching Elmdale. Providing, of course, that this reality isn't like the Biffhorrific one. Right now, though, it's a very hard call."

"I guess I should quite follow my own advice," Doc replied, as he wiped his eyes. "As I was saying before, we sure can deduct that something happened to Hill Valley around the 1950s. One thing I was quite so quick to notice, as well, was that the ledge of the clock tower was intact. Most likely, that means you also never showed up in 1955."

"Whoa, this is sure heavy!" gasped Marty, as he glanced around. "Let's hope that the town of Elmdale is still much alive, at least. The quite important question would be, did this happen before or after... my parents fell in love? If I was never in 1955, it..."

"Well, I rather see one of three possibilities," Doc replied, gently. "Either your parents really met the same way they originally did, without your intervention. Another option is that they met under different circumstance. Or else, they never met - and your..."

"... existence would sure be in danger," whispered Marty, as he broke out into a cold sweat. "What would happen, though, if I faded out of existence here - and then you two went back to 1881, and managed to fix everything? Would I show up in 1881, or would I show up here in 1987? If it's the latter, would I be able to remember the..."

"To be honest, Marty," Doc replied, "I'm not entirely sure. In the meantime, it rather is best for us to... Remember my motto? If you put your mind to it, you could accomplish anything. The thing is, we _must_ succeed. We've sure been through this, before."


	6. Chapter 5

_June 20, 1987  
2:00 PM PDT_

Marty rather wasn't certain of whether to feel relieved or shocked, when Doc entered the city limits of Elmdale. The town quite seemed to be a real contrast to Hill Valley, as it was obviously populated. As it was sunny day, the town sure appeared to be a nice and peaceful place. On the other hand, the whole thing seemed to be so unsettling.

"I'm not too sure of what to say to this," commented Jennifer, in a near whisper. "Had we arrived at night, I just wonder if... Well, the place doesn't look to be as bad as the Biffhorrific world. Still, you know what they say... about how looks can be deceiving."

"Ugh, don't remind me," groaned Marty, shuddering. "Well, I do know we need to find out just what happened - so that we know exactly what needs to be fixed. We simply don't know anything about this world, so we need to... We should be quite cautious."

"Well, it looks as if Elmdale is full of life," commented Doc, quietly. "It appears that our condition is quite localized to the town of Hill Valley. Well, before we check for if either of our counterparts live here... Well, I think we should stop for a bite to eat. I'm quite hungry." With sudden shock, he asked, "Francesca's Italian Diner? It's sure seems..."

"Let's just eat here," suggested Jennifer. "I guess, with Hill Valley being no more, Miss Francesca opted to start her restaurant _here_. It might be real soon to tell - but it does... It looks as if the changes have been localized, more or less, to Hill County."

"I'm with Jenn," Marty replied, nodding. "We really don't wish to get our hopes set up, too high - and we still don't quite know whether _I_ exist. At the least, I really think it'd be safe to eat here. I'm really so glad that we never ate in the Biffhorrific reality."

"I sure made some foolish decisions in that world," muttered Jennifer, blushes. "It was fortunate that the changes to the timeline undid the drugs and alcohol that I took. It's real embarrassing to think of how I could've succumbed to that. Still, I suppose feeling lost and confused could do that to anyone. After all, even my father didn't really..."

"It's all in the past, Jenn," whispered Marty, as he kissed his girlfriend's cheek. As Doc pulled into the driveway, he added, "Believe me, Jenn. I rather am feeling as nervous about this, as you are. Still, we might as well simply make the most of our situation."

"You're right, Marty," replied Jennifer, as she gave a small smile. "I could simply go for some stuffed shells, right now. Y'know, I'm quite shocked to discover that Francesca's Italian Diner in _this_ town. It's a locally-owned restaurant, after all - not a chain."

"With Hill Valley being a... well, you know..." Marty started to say, as the trio stepped out of the car. "Well, I really hope the currency is the same. If that's the case... Well, it sure would mean that our country is still intact." Glancing around, he added, "At any rate, I suppose the library could wait. For now, let's just get some food in our bellies."

oooooooooo

"Well, this restaurant is very similar as to how I know it," whispered Marty, as the trio slid into a booth. Marty and Jennifer sat on one side, while Doc sat across from them. "It's almost a little eerie, in fact." Taking in a deep breath, he added, "The food smells very good, at least. I guess I should maybe try not to fret, so much. I mean, it's..."

"Actually, it feels so nice to find a familiar setting," insisted Jennifer. "I agree with you that something feels a little... off. Still, I'm simply not gonna worry about that. I really think eating some stuffed shells will... Well, it certainly would be a rather nice treat."

"Here is your garlic bread, folks," called out the waitress, as she set the platter on the table. "And your drinks," she added, as she set the glasses in front of everyone. "The stuffed shells should be coming out, shortly." She smiled, as she began to walk away.

"She is a nice lady," commented Doc, with a smile. He picked up a slice of garlic bread, and bit into it. "This really is delicious," remarked Doc, approvingly. "Suddenly, I feel a little more at ease. I sure can't fathom that the Biffhorrific world had a restaurant this nice. At least, not in the vicinity of Hill Valley. I suppose this could be... good news."

"Yeah, it sounded as if much of that world was real bad," Jennifer replied, shuddering. "At least, with Richard Nixon still being the US president - the war still quite going on in Vietnam... It might be a little too soon to say anything, but it looks rather as if most of the world... is the same. Anyway, I'm glad we stopped here. I love the garlic bread."

"This is good garlic bread," agreed Marty, flashing a lopsided smile. "Well, I'm real glad that we decided to eat here. I guess Elmdale is just the new Hill Valley, so to speak. It might even be the new county seat, in fact. In a way, it really seems to be a little..."

"You folks heard about Hill Valley, eh?" asked the waitress, just as she returned to the table. "I did say your stuffed shells would be ready, real soon," she added, as she set the plates on the table. "It certainly is a shame, in fact, what happened to Hill Valley."

Marty wanted to ask more, but the waitress already started to walk away. He figured that it would simply be best to just not press the issue, though. After all, the waitress wasn't being paid to be a historian. For now, he quite decided that it would be best to enjoy his stuffed shells. At least, he was actually able to enjoy a rather tasty dinner.

"Ah, this is simply such great stuff," gushed Jennifer. "It almost is a lot like being back home. Well, not _home_ home - but back in our, uh, home world. Y'know, I'm really am curious to find out if my...I don't think _my_ existence would be endangered."

"Don't be too certain of that, Jennifer," warned Doc. "After all, whatever happened in 1881 could've started a chain reaction - the results of which could end up..." His eyes then grew wide, as he gasped, "Great Scott! Marty, look at who just walked in here!"

As Marty turned his head, he could hardly believe what he saw. He quite caught sight of someone who looked to be exactly like him! Something even told him that the other young man was _not_ Michael J Fox. It really was shocking to see him with another woman. While she bore some resemblance to Jennifer, it most certainly was not her!

"Sarah," whispered Jennifer, as the tone of her voice was a little hard to decipher. As Marty turned to look at her, she added, "The girl looked sure like my cousin, Sarah! In fact, I wonder if... In a way, I'm so disappointed. It sure makes me feel a little bit..."

"It actually troubles me, as well, Jenn," Marty replied, as he placed his arm around his girlfriend. "After all, it simply doesn't seem to be..." Just then, realizing something, he gasped, "Narnia!" In a near whisper, he asked, "Jenn, do you remember that trip..."

"Goodness, Marty!" gasped Jennifer. "Now that you've mentioned it, I sure remember that. Come to think of it, that counterpart also lived in Elmdale. Well, I suppose we do have to keep in mind that... Well, if your counterpart never met me, it'd just be unfair to hold it against him... or you. Still, I'm sure you know how our emotions can get."

"I can understand the feeling," Doc replied, softly. "Last year, when Marty and I were travelling to all these different universes, some of my counterparts just ended up with Jessica Hoffman. That was tough for me, as well. I just couldn't imagine being with..."

"I wonder if I should, uh, talk to myself," suggested Marty, nervously. "I guess I could just call myself Michael J Fox, while Jenn can be Claudia Wells. It could be a little risky, but that'd be the best way of getting some answers. Anyway, how does that sound?"

"I reckon that could be the best option," agreed Doc, nervously. "The only trouble will be... Well, I quite wonder if your counterpart knows... _my_ counterpart. If not, it might be a little tough to... Well, I would simply love to speak to my..." With a sudden gasp, he asked, "Great Scott! What if my counterpart never hit his head on the..."

"Well, _I_ exist," Marty pointed out, gently. "Remember, Doc, you did come up with the vision for the flux capacitor - on the same day that my parents..." His voice trailed off, as he realized something else. "If I never landed in 1955, that might mean my..."

"Perhaps," suggested Doc, slowly, "the event that ended Hill Valley did occur after the fateful date. I wonder if my other self moved to Elmdale, as well." With a sudden sigh, he added, "Actually, I should've checked to see if my mansion was... still standing."

"We should wait until we're done eating," insisted Marty. "It looks as if my counterpart just showed up, so we simply should have a lot of time to catch them. If I just refer to myself as Michael J Fox, I suppose I could rather... Well, I could just tell them that I'm interested in scouted the area for a potential future film. That might be real feasible."

"I suppose that might work," replied Jennifer. "If his girlfriend really is Sarah... Well, if her counterpart is anything like the Sarah I know, I imagine that she'd be quite thrilled with meeting Michael J Fox... She might not mind you getting a little, uh, personal."

"I suppose so," whispered Marty. "We still should simply try to be, uh, tactful. In case my counterpart actually doesn't know Doc... Well, we sure wouldn't want to freak him out." Realizing something else, he added, "What if Sarah actually... recognizes you?"

"It's probably best to go with Claudia Wells," insisted Jennifer. "I just don't think Sarah would quite believe that... that I suddenly met up with Michael J Fox. For all we know, my counterpart and her might've simply chatted on the phone... early this morning. At any rate, we really do want to be as discreet as possible. Know what I mean, Marty?"

Marty nodded, as he bit into his garlic bread. He was simply looking forward to finding out more about the life of his counterpart. While he wished to fix the timeline, so that he could return to his reality - he was also curious with learning about his other self.


	7. Chapter 6

_June 20, 1987  
3:00 PM PDT_

The local Marty sighed, as he glanced at Sarah. While the average on-looker wouldn't be likely to guess that he was quite going through some hard times, that sure was far from the truth. Inwardly, he rather felt as if his life was just falling apart. On October 25 of 1985, his parents were both killed in a car accident - which still traumatized him.

He just never felt terribly close to his parents. His mother seemed to almost always be drunk, in addition to actually being disapproving of almost everything. While his father wasn't so strict, he lacked a backbone - which made him a popular target with bullies.

Still, deep down inside, Marty loved his parents. Often, he felt so guilty for not having been more a little appreciative of them. He wished that he hadn't gotten so frustrated with his father, and that he really tried harder to communicate better with his mother.

However, the past actually couldn't be changed. His parents had been returning from Sacramento, and his mother insisted on being the one to drive. As she had been very drunk, she sure wasn't paying attention to where she was driving - and she ended up crashing into a semi-truck. With minutes, George and Lorraine died from their injuries.

"I understand how hard that must be," Sarah commented, sympathetically. "That was simply a hard time for you. Even though your mother was never too fond of me, I felt horrified. I can imagine how it'd be very hard for anyone to deal with. It was so sad."

"People expect me to be over it, by now," Marty replied, as tears filled his eyes. "The thing is, though... Well, I'm not sure if I'll ever get over this. It seemed quite sudden. Here I was, worried of how Mom would react - if she knew how we were going to..."

"I understand, Marty," replied Sarah, softly. "Well, in a way, I can hardly wait for the day that we get married. That would be such a big day for us. I suppose, though, we should just wait until we graduate college. I simply wonder what our children might be like. As much I happen to love kids, the idea of becoming a mother makes me feel..."

"I feel about the same way, Sarah," agreed Marty. "I certainly wouldn't want for our future children to end up like my parents, or even like Dave or Linda. I don't think we should be all too strict on them. We should help them to build confidence, though."

As Marty looked up, he sure could hardly believe what he saw. It almost seemed to be like looking into a mirror. He did know of one person, granted, who simply bore a great resemblance to him. The person, in fact, happened to be a relatively famous actor.

"Hello," replied the look-alike, nervously. "I, uh, I sure couldn't help but notice the two of you. You see, I'm Michael J Fox - and this is... Claudia Wells. We rather decided to, uh, scout locations for a possible film we might do. It simply is fascinating, in fact, that I should happen to run into a look-alike. Do you rather mind if we, uh, join you guys?"

"No, not at all," replied Marty, stunned. He felt surprised to meet the actor who really looked like him. He didn't expect for it to happen, though, before he himself became a famous rock star. "If you opted to choose this town... Well, I'd be rather flattered."

"Thank you," replied Michael, as he and Claudia slid into the booth. "Say, if you simply don't mind, we'd like to... Well, we want to ask you a few questions. You see, I'm real curious about the neighbouring town. Hill Valley, I believe it's called. It seems as if..."

"You actually want to know about, uh, Hill Valley?" Marty asked, stunned. He couldn't quite understand why a famous actor would be curious about a dead town. "Well, it's sure no longer a town. My parents both grew up in there. That really was back in the 1950s, though. In the year 1959... Well, Hill Valley ran into some financial trouble."

"No way!" gasped Michael, as he looked horrified. "Well, uh, I do hope you don't mind - but I was... Well, not to sound vain, but it simply is interesting to find people... who look a lot like me. Do you mind if we... Well, if we ask a few questions about you?"

"Actually, I'd be very flattered," gushed Sarah, with great admiration. Marty tried not to be too jealous of his girlfriend's admiration for the famous actor. "I really must say, though, Claudia Wells looks a lot like... Jennifer, my cousin. The resemblance is so..."

"I do, eh?" Claudia asked, as a smile spread across her fact. "Well, I couldn't help but notice that _you_ look a lot like Elisabeth Shue. I think she's a great actress, too. I just love Karate Kid." Turning to Marty, he added, "First of all, I really don't think you introduced yourselves to us. What are your names? Have you always lived here?"

"I'm Martin Seamus McFly," replied Marty, nervously. "This is my girlfriend, Sarah Jean Parker. Well, I was born in Elmdale. When Hill Valley became no more, my parents just opted to move to the neighbouring town. I first met Sarah, almost four years ago."

"I was twelve years old," added Sarah, "when Mom and I moved to this town. I'm sure close to my cousin, Jennifer - who lives in Green Valley. Today is Marty's birthday, and we simply decided to make the day special. He just turned nineteen, believe it or not."

"I sure hardly feel nineteen," muttered Marty. Turning to Michael, he added, "I guess your birthday also happens to fall, this month. Only, in your case, you must be about 26 years old. To be honest, I thought it did seem a little strange - simply thinking that you're seven years older than me. After all, you sure don't look much older than me."

"No, I guess not," Michael replied, flashing a lopsided smile. "Well, Marty, I was rather wondering if... you could just tell me a little about... your parents. After all, you quite seem... Well, you did simply mention that... your parents both grew up in Hill Valley."

oooooooooo

Doc felt a little nervous, as he wondered how Marty and Jennifer were doing. He sure hoped that their plan worked. He thought of how very uneasy Jennifer obviously felt, when she just noticed that Marty's counterpart was with another girl. He remembered how Clara's reaction was so similar, regarding his counterparts and Jessica Hoffman.

Clara! The sight of the ravine's name began to just haunt him, again. Even though he had already known the ravine by that name, it was before he met Clara. Now that he knew Clara, though - and loved her with all his heart - the very idea felt traumatic.

"Excuse me, sir?" asked an oddly familiar voice. Feeling quite nervous, Doc looked up - and he saw a man, who happened to bear a strong resemblance to him! Would this be his counterpart, by any chance? "I, uh... I didn't mean to startle you. I was just..."

"Are you Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown?" he asked, as his heart began to race. The other man looked quite startled, as he nodded. "Well, uh... I suppose I should really just call you 'Emmett'. I'm not sure of just how to explain this to all you, but I... Well, the thing is... I am your counterpart. Does the phrase 'flux capacitor' mean anything to you?"

"Why, yes, it does," replied Emmett, as he sat across from Doc. "I wasn't expecting to run into... me. I sure drove all the way here from Green Valley, as the hardware store back home didn't have on stock what I needed. Well, uh, you must be my future self."

"In a real roundabout way, perhaps," replied Doc - realizing that his counterpart, most likely, didn't spend almost nine year in the Old West. "Actually, I came from a different reality. I hate to pry, but... Well, are you married - and do you know Marty McFly?"

"I'm married to Jessica Hoffman, in fact," explained Emmett, with great affection. "As for Marty McFly, I can't say that I ever met him. The name really does sound familiar, though. I believe he is a member of a local band, The Screwballs. It's a rather curious name for a rock and roll band, I must say. Why, does something bad happen to him?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Doc replied, stunned. "Well, in my world, he is also a musician - but his band is called The Pinheads, which I rather found to be a little shocking. He is more than just that, though. He's really my close friend. I've known him, since 1975."

"Interesting," muttered Emmett. "He seems like a nice enough young man. I just can't reckon what I would have in common with him, though. I do like rock and roll, granted - but science is what I'm into. My only close friend happens to be Sabrina Palmer."

"I know her, too," Doc replied, nodding. "I just knew her for ten years, in fact, before Marty came into my life. Also, my wife is Clara Clayton. I sure met her, in fact, when I went back to 1885. It was an accident, but it simply turned out to be a _fortunate_ accident. She is... In this reality, she's the schoolteacher... who fell into the ravine."

"Great Scott!" gasped Emmett, stunned. "I hadn't thought too much about... I've sure wanted to just visit the Old West. So far, though, I've only taken trips into the future. Travelling into the past is just too dangerous. Too much potential for a time paradox."

"Well, I'm not sure to begin," commented Doc, nervously. "Marty is also here - as if his girlfriend, Jennifer. Apparently, the Marty of _this_ reality also quite happens to be here. In fact, my Marty - along with Jennifer - decided to talk with his counterpart."

"Fascinating," muttered Emmett. "I simply have a few acquaintances, in fact, that I do get on fairly well with. Sabrina and Jessica are the only ones, though, who I can really trust with... my time machine." With sudden horror, he gasped, "You sure shouldn't've allowed your Marty to just talk to... The Marty of this world does _not_ know me!"

"Don't worry, Emmett," Doc replied, softly. "My Marty opted to pose as Michael J Fox, the actor who resembles him. If you don't quite mind, we could all... just head over to your place. On the way over, we should not discuss anything relating to time travel."


	8. Chapter 7

_June 20, 1987  
3:30 PM PDT_

"That is horribly tragic!" gasped the visiting Marty, as he could hardly believe what his counterpart told him. "Well, that must've been so hard on you. Your mother should've sure known better than to... So, uh, what happened? I mean, did you have to move? I'm guessing that must've been hard for you to... Oh, Marty, I'm quite terribly sorry."

"It was quite a shock," agreed the local Marty, sighing. "Even today, I simply feel a lot of regret with... Whenever I think of the last words that I uttered to the... Well, they were quite... They were sure less-than-loving words. How I wish I could take it back."

Marty's mouth fell open, as his counterpart's last statement really shocked him. Those happened to be the very same exact words that he actually heard from Martin, a few hours ago! Of course, the moment had also occurred almost exactly 106 years ago!

"Well, Marty, you just shouldn't fret so much over it," suggested the visiting Marty, as he reached for his counterpart's hands. "I'm very sure that your parents would realize that, deep down inside, you didn't mean what you said. In fact, I also don't think they would want you to fret. It sounds like your parents were real hard to get along with."

"Yeah, they sort of were," agreed the local Marty, sighing. "My mom was, anyway. In fact, it actually seemed as if she disapproved of nearly everything - and I could never understand why she disapproved of Sarah, who happens to be a rather sweet girl."

"His mother did seem to be, uh, bitter," agreed Sarah, nodding. "I never really spoke to her, all that much. Whenever I did, though... She always quite spoke to me in this very... She always took a very icy tone with me, as if she... as if she despised me."

"That just used to bug me," commented the local Marty, as he slipped his arm around Sarah. "Since they're dead, though... I was very surprised why what Grandma Stella told me, when she told me that Mom used to be a little wild. From the way she rather used to lecture us, I actually could've sworn that she had been... raised as a nun."

"Yeah, it sure seems a little..." the visiting Marty started to say. He really understood how his counterpart felt, and his interactions with the 1955 version of his mother was a real eye-opener for him. "I do think she was just concerned with your well-being."

"Perhaps so," the local Marty replied, sighing. "Sometimes, though, it seemed as if she didn't even... like me. Still, I suppose she was rather troubled. I think being married to my father kind of.... took a toll on her. The thing is, my father was always a little..."

"I've always found him to be quite kindhearted," added Sarah. "Still, he simply seemed to... Well, he seemed to lack a backbone. He seemed to lack any ambition, and I quite felt bad for him. Sometimes, his lack of a backbone rather would interfere with Marty's plans - which was usually when Marty tended to, well, lose patience with his father."

"I sure guess my parents were miserable," the local Marty commented, sighing. "Well, may God rest their souls. I'm sure that my parents are both at peace, now. This quite might seem strange, but... Well, from time to time, I still dream about my parents."

"Well, of course," replied the visiting Marty, softly. "They were a very big part of your life, and..." Suddenly, he began to wonder if there sure could be a deeper meaning to his counterpart's statement, "Unless, Marty, are you telling me that your parents..."

"I do hope you don't think that I'm insane," the local Marty replied, nervously, "or that I need to seek professional help. At any rate, it sure seems as if my parents... Well, it seems as if my parents' spirits really are there. I simply would like to believe that it's... really them. Both sure seem to be in better shape, in fact, than I've ever seen them."

"Well, Marty, it probably really _is_ them," insisted the visiting Marty, as he himself has had some experiences with extraordinary dreams. "It quite is not too uncommon, in fact." Suddenly, he began to wonder if Martin also ever had those type of dreams.

"Well, Marty," Sarah commented, softly, "I believe Michael J Fox is really a perceptive guy." Marty's heart skipped a beat, as he had nearly forgotten that he was supposed to be posing as the actor. "Well, Michael, it's actually wonderful that you showed up."

"It's my pleasure," the visiting Marty replied, softly. Grabbing at a slice of garlic bread, he added, "Man, I sure love Italian food! At any rate, I was thinking that it would be a good idea to... Well, how would the two of you feel... about coming with us? I've sure come to enjoy your company, and I'd... Well, I'd like to learn more about Hill Valley."

"I'm not so sure if there's really much to learn," the local Marty insisted, softly. "Other than the fact that, supposedly, my great-great-grandparents settled in the town. It's really... Well, I guess Great-Grandpa William was born there. I faintly remember him."

"Well, Marty, why don't you study up on your ancestry?" suggested Sarah, smiling. "I mean, you might learn some very interesting things. I think it'd be rather cool to learn about your personal family history. At any rate, you should give that some thought."

"Yeah, Marty, I believe you should listen to your girlfriend," agreed the visiting Marty, smiling. He simply remembered how, some time ago, he used to feel much of the same way as his counterpart. Of course, time travel had changed all that. "I mean, learning about your ancestry might be about the most rewarding thing. Just take it from me."

"If you rather say so, Michael," replied the local Marty, as he flashed a lopsided smile. "Now that you've mentioned it, I... Come to think of it, I simply remember how much I loved my Great-Grandpa William. I was only seven, though, when he passed away."

oooooooooo

"Well, Doc," replied Emmett, having agreed to address his visiting counterpart by that nickname, "it really appears as is we've led considerably different lives. I guess you're also nearly a whole decade older than me. You don't look too much older - but I guess that's because we both opted to undergo rejuvenation surgery, while in the future."

"That is true," agreed Doc, nodding. "Actually, there's something else that I should tell you. Actually, I really first met Marty... almost twenty years prior to what I previously stated. On the fifth of November, in 1955, seventeen-year-old Marty appeared on..."

"The fifth of November, 1955?" gasped Emmett, obviously stunned. "Well, that simply was the day that I came up with the flux capacitor. I reckon that it must've come as a shock to you. I'm guessing that you really didn't believe him, right away. Am I right?"

"That is correct," Doc replied, as he still had a clear memory of that moment. "It simply didn't seem that possible, considering that I had yet to invent a time machine. At first, I assumed that he was just some prankster. I really was annoyed with him, in fact. He finally convinced me, though, after telling me how I came up with the flux capacitor."

"Fascinating," muttered Emmett, apparently amazed. "Of course, there was probably also the idea that you... that you simply never planned on using the time machine for going back in time, due to the potential for drastically altering the course of history."

"That pretty well sums it up," Doc agreed, nodding. "Oh, I sure could tell you all about my experiences with altering the course of history. We can rather discuss that, a little later. For now, I was wondering what... Well, what exactly happened to Hill Valley?"

"It was quite a sad time," Emmett explained, sighing. "I really hated the idea of having to leave my mansion, as it was the house that I grew up in. Sometime, I'll even just go back - and visit it. The incident occurred in 1959. We were in major financial dept, as it was. When it seemed a miracle finally happened, we ended up with a bank robbery."

"A bank robbery?" Doc asked, horrified. "Great Scott! So, Emmett, how did all this just happen? On what date was it? Who all was really involved?" When he realized that his counterpart looked baffled, he added, "Where I came from, Hill Valley is still... alive."

"I should've guessed that," Emmett replied, quietly. "It sounds as if you've have had a more, uh, active life. Of course, I am quite grateful to have met Jessica. In fact, she's about three months pregnant. I certainly am looking forward to becoming a father."

"That's very good to hear," Doc replied, smiling. "Clara and I have three kids, and two of them were born in the past. The boys are Jules and Verne - while the youngest is a girl, who we called Haven. She was born on November 12, last year. In fact, she sure was born at the same time... as lightning struck the Hill Valley clock tower: 10:04 PM."

"That happened in this reality, too," Emmett replied, nodding. "While it a sad occasion for many, the majority of the town decided that the clock should really remain as it is. Of course, less than four years later, Hill Valley gets devastated... by bank robbers."

"Yeah, of course," replied Doc, as he remembered the very purpose of communicating with his other self. "Yeah, about that... Well, you see, we got back from 1881 - and it seems as if... Most likely, we were the ones... well, responsible for creating this..."

"No way!" breathed Emmett, in disbelief. In a calmer voice, he added, "Well, I hold no blame against you. You quite seem to be just as bothered by this, as... Why don't we go get your friends, and head over to my house? This dinner was quite delicious - and I suppose the hardware store could wait. We really don't have much room in my car."

"That's okay, Emmett," replied Doc. "There's a lot of room in the station wagon, which also functions as a time machine - which we shouldn't leave unattended, for long. The thing is, Marty's other self - along with his girlfriend - should just sit in the way back."


	9. Chapter 8

_June 20, 1987  
4:00 PM PDT_

"Mind Warped is just a totally awesome movie," commented Sarah, admiringly. "I must say, it's definitely superior to Teen Wolf. I don't mean any offence to you, of course - but I've read somewhere that even you didn't care much for that movie. I simply think you look better, anyway, without being covered in all that hair. You're just so cute!"

"Yeah, uh, thanks," the visiting Marty replied, nervously. It was becoming quite tough to pose as the actor who resembled him. "Well, anyway, it's always real fascinating to meet people who... who resemble me. So, Marty, you'd like to become a rock star?"

"If you don't mind," replied the local Marty, smiling. "Yeah, I guess the comparisons to you are bound to arise. I really don't mind, though. By the way, I really love the song you performed for Light of Day. I do especially enjoy the studio version of the song."

"He wrote the song, too," pointed out Sarah. "I really should say, Mike, you and Joan Jett sure made a great duo. It's really a very touching film, as well. I'm also very fond of The Secret of My Success. You were so hilarious, in that film. Brantley Foster really did seem to act a lot of Alex P Keaton. With regards to the financial aspect, at least."

"Howdy, folks!" greeted Doc, as she showed up at the table. The visiting Marty could hardly believe that Doc managed to run into his counterpart. "Well, I do see that you bunch are doing some bonding. Well, all four of you are rather welcome to join us."

"You simply mean that?" Sarah asked, excitedly. As the two Docs nodded, she added, "Oh, this is so awesome!" Upon scrutinizing the Docs, she added, "You know, you look a little like Christopher Lloyd. Do you, by any chance, happen to be related to him?"

"Related to Christopher Lloyd?" asked the other Doc, chuckling. "Well, he certainly is a fine actor - but, no, we're not related. However, my name actually does happen to be Christopher Lloyd Brown - and this is my cousin, Dr. Emmett Lathrop Brown. You really do seem like very interesting people. Anyway, feel free to just call me 'Chris', folks."

"You can just call me 'Doc', folks," added the local Doc. "Anyway, I don't live quite too far from here. I live in good old Green Valley." With a wistful sigh, he added, "I rather do miss Hill Valley. It is a shame that some no-good thieves ruined our hometown."

"I'll bet it is, uh, Doc," replied the local Marty, nervously. The visiting Marty found it to amusing that his counterpart was just meeting the scientist for the first time. "I mean, my parents grew up there. I wonder what my parents were like, when they were..."

"We could actually discuss that, uh, later," replied the visiting Marty, as he patted his counterpart's back. His heart really went out to his counterpart. After all, even in the original timeline, he would've felt bad about his parents passing away. "I sure feel for you, though. There is no telling how I'd feel, if anything happened to my parents."

"Thank you, Mike," whispered the local Marty, softly. "Granted, I simply didn't always get along with my parents. Still, I loved them." With a wistful sigh, he added, "It sure is a real shame, in fact, that our future children will never know their grandparents."

"I rather do understand how you feel, buddy," replied the visiting Marty, as the group stepped outside the building. He began to feel nervous, as he added, "Would you two mind, uh, sitting in the back of the station wagon? We have seats back there, and..."

"I wouldn't mind, at all," gushed Sarah, as she placed her arms around her boyfriend. "It could be kind of romantic, actually. I quite think it's so awesome that you guys are buddies with Michael J Fox. It'd be so nice if we... Well, thanks for inviting us. I really think it's a dream come true. Marty here has been feeling a little depressed, lately."

"Right, it's sure my pleasure" replied the visiting Marty, nervously - as he stepped into the station wagon. He should've figured that Sarah might've been starstruck. He then wondered if, eventually, they'd end up telling his counterpart and Sarah the truth.

"I was just thinking that we should take the scenic route," suggested the local Doc. "It might make the ride over to my house a very pleasant experience, and we won't have to contend with heavy traffic. Say, Chris, would you mind if... if I drove to my place?"

"Oh, not at all," replied the visiting Doc, as he handed the keys to his counterpart. It made the visiting Marty feel quite nervous, as he wasn't entirely certain if they could even trust his scientist friend's counterpart. Granted, the local Doc rather seemed to be harmless - but could they take any chances? "It'd simply be my pleasure, in fact."

"I must say," commented the local Doc, as the started the engine, "I'm really not used to having this much company. I guess I've sure never been much of a social butterfly. Anyway, I predict a half-hour drive over. What should we do, in order to pass time?"

"How about simply putting on some tunes?" suggested the visiting Doc. "We could put on 104.1 FM, which is... Well, I have a feeling that it's a good radio station." Glancing towards the back, he added, "The kids sure seem to..." He then flipped on the radio.

"You are listening to KKGV 104.1 FM," announced a disc jockey, "playing your greatest rock and roll variety. Coming up, Black Dog by Led Zeppelin. Also, a cool tune from our local rock band: Harmony by The Screwballs - along with a great tune from Huey Lewis and The News, The Power of Love. Stay tuned, as we play you eight songs in a row."

"Hey, I really couldn't ask for a better song selection," commented the local Marty - as the station launched into a commercial for Statler Toyota, located in _Elmdale_. "It'll be so cool. My favourite Led Zeppelin song _and_ my favourite Huey Lewis song..."

"Played next to one of your own tunes," added Sarah, coyly. In a rather affectionate voice, she added, "The Screwballs is none other than Marty's own band. I'm so happy that our local radio station recognizes the talent that Marty and his band possesses."

"Oh, that's totally awesome," agreed the visiting Marty, dazed. In his own reality, the radio station located at the 104.1 frequency really had the call letters of KKHV - and it also announced itself as "playing your greatest rock and roll variety". The station sure seemed very similar. "I'm, uh... I'm sure happy for you. I really hope you make it big."

The visiting Marty was very curious as to whether his counterpart's song was identical to his own, and if it was rather inspired by the same news story. He quite figured that his counterpart's band had different members. The band's name sounded so familiar.

He then thought of the radio station. From the call letters, he was able to deduct that the radio station must be located in Green Valley. The disc jockey was very unfamiliar, but that was to be expected. To be certain, the whole experience seemed so surreal.

"Thank you, Mike," replied the local Marty, softly. "Well, it's always a real thrill to hear my own songs on the radio - even if we're still unknown outside of the region. It's just cool to think of how... If the folks if KKGV enjoy our music, it might mean that we... Is that awesome, or what? And to think of how that Huey Lewis look-alike rejected..."

"Yeah, the guy simply was a total dweeb," agreed Sarah. "Well, at least you're having the last laugh." The visiting Marty could hardly believe what he heard, as he quite had a similar experience. "I'm sure Huey Lewis himself would be embarrassed that the..."

"... that the audition judge strongly resembled him," finished the local Marty. "It really was a rough day, in fact. After all, it really happened to be the same day that both of my parents died in the car crash - and... Well, thank you for your encouragement."

"That's no problem, Marty," Sarah replied, softly. "I've always had great confidence in you. If anything, the audition judge just didn't appear to even like rock and roll. When you think of how he was dressed... Aw, let's forget about him. At any rate, I sure get a real thrill - every time I hear one of your songs on the radio. I really do love KKGV."

"Yeah, KKGV rules," agreed the local Marty, with great enthusiasm. "I especially love it - whenever they play one of our songs next to one by Huey Lewis and The News, Van Halen, or Led Zeppelin. It makes me feel so special, in fact. I mean, it really seems..."

"Right, I quite see what you mean," agreed the visiting Marty. He then thought of his own band, The Pinheads. Back in his own reality, his bands' music also was frequently played on KKHV. "Have you ever considered, uh, working as a disc jockey for KKGV?"

"I sure have, in fact," the local Marty replied, excitedly. "The folks at the radio station said that a job position would likely be open for me, in a couple months. Gee, it'd quite be totally awesome. In fact, it practically is the next best thing to being a rock star. It would be more fun than my current job of working at the local record store, anyway."

"I hope you get the job," replied the visiting Marty, encouragingly. He was so amazed by how much more he had in common with his counterpart. He himself had anticipated the idea of being a disc jockey for KKHV. "It rather would be a step up, at any rate."

"Oh, it quite would be," gushed the local Marty. "Y'know, I wouldn't even mind working third shift. I mean, it would just be a fun job. Even if I might not quite have full control over the play list, if any at all... Well, here comes Led Zeppelin. Let's all just be quiet."

The visiting Marty agreed, as the familiar riffs to Black Dog blasted over the speakers. The four teens began to bounce around to the music, and even the Docs appeared to enjoy themselves. He rather looked so forward to hearing his counterpart's version of the song Harmony - but, for now, it felt good to hear his favourite Led Zeppelin song.


	10. Chapter 9

_June 20, 1987  
4:45 PM PDT_

The visiting Marty swallowed, as the local Doc pulled into a driveway. He actually was taken aback, as he took a closer look at the house. It sure seemed to be smaller than the house that the visiting Doc lived in. Granted, it was likely that the local Doc simply never felt it possible that he'd find a wife - let alone be able to start his own family.

He had so many questions that he wished to ask of the local Doc - but he realized that his own counterpart, along with Sarah Parker, were unaware about the real possibility of time travel. After all, prior to today, they never met the local Dr. Emmett Brown.

"This was a nice ride," commented the local Marty, as he stepped out from the back of the station wagon. "Sure not too many older people I know of who actually enjoy rock and roll. My parents certainly didn't like the music. My mother, especially, was so..."

"... conservative?" suggested the visiting Marty. As his local counterpart nodded, he added, "Yeah, I suppose a lot of older people simply have a hard time with accepting that rock and roll is a legitimate form of music. It's simply only been around for a little over thirty years - and, thus, they tend to see rock and roll as being... just noise."

"Oh, I suppose I can understand that," the local Marty replied, shrugging. "They don't understand that rock and roll can, in fact, be real beautiful. In fact, a good example is Led Zeppelin's Over the Hills and Far Away. It starts out soft and acoustic, and then it turns to hard rock. It's so beautiful and touching. In fact, it always makes me cry."

"You simply make a good point, uh, Marty," replied the visiting Marty, nodding - as he also was moved to tears by that song. "Now, if we were talking about Slayer... That, in fact, does tend to be 'just noise' - so, as such, I'm not overly fond of the group."

"Right, and they tend to have Satanic lyrics," added the local Marty. "Now, bands like Metallica and Megadeth, I enjoy. Pantera is also a rather good group. Anyway, there are all kinds of rock. Bands like Styx, Boston, and The Cars are not overly loud..."

"Actually, I do find Metallica and Megadeth to be too heavy for my taste," commented the local Doc. "I rather do love Styx, though - along with Boston and The Cars." As he opened the door to his house, he announced, "Welcome to my humble abode, guys!"

"This is beautiful!" gasped the visiting Marty, as the group stepped into the house. "It looks like a nice house. I'm just a little of surprised, though, that... that you didn't get another mansion. I can imagine that it was quite hard for you to leave your old home. I mean, especially if that was the home you grew up in - and you inherited it from..."

"I decided that I didn't quite need a big mansion," explained Doc. "Not when I lived by myself. Besides, I figured that I could simply use the extra money to... to work on my science experiment. I mean, you really get by further in life - by thinking practically."

"I really can't argue with that, Doc," the visiting Marty replied, smiling. He figured that the science experiment in question was none other than a time machine. "Well, I quite am curious to learn about your... your science experiment. It sounds... interesting."

"I am, as well," the local Marty agreed. He stepped towards the organ, as he added, "You play the piano?" The local Doc nodded, as he added, "I would simply like to hear you play, sometime. I've been playing the guitar, since I was five. I simply remember how Mom insisted that I play the piano, instead - but, fortunately, I was able to..."

"Actually, to be honest," the local Doc replied, nervously, "I can only play a few simple melodies. However, I can play a little better on the saxophone." With that, he pointed towards the instrument in question on the wall. "I could play for you, a little later."

"That simply sounds awesome!" gushed the visiting Marty. Turning to his counterpart, he added, "So, uh, who all is in your band? If you don't quite mind... Well, I would like to hear more of your music. I think it's real cool that... KKGV... is playing your music."

"Thanks," the local Marty replied, blushing. Flashing a lopsided smile, he added, "I just hope you don't mind the competition, if I make it big! I really admire you, as an actor - and, of course, so does Sarah. I love the movie, Mind Warped! I sure think it's so cool how Todd and Brent switched places. I do hope to see them come out with sequels."

"I wish nothing but the best of luck for you," the visiting Marty insisted, cheerfully. He had nearly forgotten that he was posing as the famous actor. "I guess that you didn't have a very easy life. I don't want to pester you with questions, but I am a little..."

As the visiting Marty looked down, he noticed a familiar looking sheepdog. He reached out, and patted the dog's head. With curiosity, the dog just glanced between the two Martys. As he glanced to his right, he realized that both of the Docs were smiling.

"Aw, I see that Einstein really likes you," cooed the local Doc. "I quite decided to name him after the Albert Einstein - the scientist who I actually had the pleasure of meeting, back in the 1940s. At any rate, we do have sodas in the fridge - and then... Well, you could watch a little TV - or listen to the stereo. Just make yourselves feel at home."

"Thank you, Dr. Brown," replied the local Marty, as he opened up the refrigerator. As he pulled out four cans of Diet Pepsi, he added, "Actually, now that I remember, I did bring one of our tapes along. I think it's cool, Mike, that you're taking an interest."

"Oh, no trouble at all," replied the visiting Marty, as the quartet headed into the living room. "I loved your song, Harmony. It's sure insightful and profound, and..." He then stopped short - as he realized that, in a way, he was starting to brag. "Let's rock on!"

"He was simply inspired by a story about a child abuse case," explained Sarah, as she popped the cassette into the stereo. "that's one thing I sure like about Marty. He can kick some ass, when necessary - but he also has a tender heart. I have a feeling that he will become a great father. I would just like for us to have a big family, someday."

"Well, let's not be in such a hurry," protested the visiting Marty, chuckling. "You really should enjoy your youth, while you still have it. Anyway, I also tend to get real upset by hearing stories about child abuse. Especially when it's... by their own parents."

"My own parents were never the greatest," the local Marty explained, softly. "I quite remember how Mom would, from to time, really become verbally abusive. Still, when I think of what other children have to endure, I realize that I didn't... have it so bad."

"I can understand what you mean," the visiting Marty replied, softly. He began to feel very guilty for the attitude that he used of have towards his family of the old timeline. He then thought of Martin, and the regret that he had really expressed. "At any rate, who's all in your band? I'm, uh, under the impression that you're the leader of..."

"Yes, I do lead vocals and lead guitar," explained the local Marty. "On bass is my best friend, Tyler Sloan - who I've actually known since kindergarten. Billy Winterson is our drummer, while Brad Springwood is on keyboards. We are a very close-knit group."

"That's so good to hear," replied the visiting Marty. He knew Billy Winterson, who also played drums in his band. He had no idea as to who the others were, though. "It sure is nice. It's never a good things, when bands let creative differences get in the way."

"Yeah, not like with The Police," agreed the local Marty, shaking his head. "It is quite a shame that they disbanded, due to personal disputes with each other. They were just a very talented band, and they had a promising career ahead. I'm sure not as big of a fan of Sting, as a solo artist. At any rate, we do tend to have our moments, but..."

"Yeah, I also prefer The Police," the visiting Marty agreed, nodding. "Anyway, I'm just enjoying the music. Y'know, I think anyone who dares to reject your band... Well, this just goes to show you that not everyone quite appreciates talent, when they see it."

"Thank you, Mike," the local Marty replied, nodding. "There were several times, when I considered quitting. Every time, though, Sarah managed to talk me out of it. It sure helped me to cope with my parents' death, having my music as a form of... release."

"Those were very hard times for him," agreed Sarah. "Even now, he tends to struggle with grief. His older brother, Dave, took ownership of the house - and he had became the legal guardian of Marty. Dave became real self-absorbed - so, as such, Marty had to fend for himself. Although, Dave did seem to be the closest to his father - so..."

"Well, he's lucky to really have someone like you," replied Jennifer. The visiting Marty, however, couldn't quite help but notice the discomfort in her voice. He figured that he couldn't blame her. "I does sound like he's been having a very rough time, and it's..."

"We have our own apartment, now," explained Sarah. "Shortly after we both turned eighteen, we decided to look for our own place. My mom's really been supportive, as well. She always was a very open-minded person, and she's come to adore Marty."

"It's simply a shame that my mom never felt the same of you," the local Marty replied, sighing. His eyes then grew wide, as he picked up some diagrams. "Oh, my God! I can hardly believe this! These are diagrams for a time machine! How can that be, though? Everyone knows that time travel isn't possible! What do you suppose that's about?"

The visiting Marty swallowed, as he really had no idea as to what he should say to his counterpart. He began to wonder how his counterpart would react to finding out who he really was - as well as how Sarah would simply react to finding out about Jennifer.


	11. Chapter 10

_June 20, 1987  
5:20 PM PDT_

Marty swallowed, as it was a little hard to read the expression on the faces of Michael and Claudia. Surely, _they_ didn't really believe in any of that time travel nonsense - did they? Suddenly, he could hear chattering going on from the kitchen - and he also noticed a feminine voice. He wondered who she was. He then thought of what to do.

"Look, guys," Marty replied, nervously. "I, uh, really need to go use the washroom. I'll be right back." His girlfriend, the actor, and the actor's girlfriend all nodded. "It's really been awesome, getting to know you guys. Thanks for showing interest in my music."

Marty swallowed, as he made his way towards the kitchen. He caught sight of the two Browns staring at a diagram of some sort, as he stepped into the washroom. This sure had to be one of the most unusual days he had. It felt so cool to meet Michael J Fox.

"So, what you're saying," one of the Browns was saying, "is that you folks went back in time to the year 1881, to witness a bet that the founders of Hill Valley and Hillcrest have made? Then, upon returning to 1987, you just ended up... here? To be frank, I now see that I made the right choice in never travelling to the past. It's because..."

"That was my initial plan, as well," the other Brown responded. "However, the second time travel trip... after the test with Einie... simply was an accident. As my Marty was trying to escape from some terrorists, he ended up landing back in 1955. The time..."

"... that we came up with the idea for the flux capacitor," finished the first Brown. "I do remember you telling me that. I'm really trying to imagine what it must've felt like, finding out that your future time machine did work - just shortly after having the..."

Marty felt rather stunned, as he tried to digest what he heard. Apparently, there not only was an actual time machine - but the young man who looked just like him actually was not Michael J Fox, but another version of _him_? While he had nothing against Dr. Brown, he could not see himself being close to the scientist. It felt too strange.

"That's why I really thought he was a prankster, at first," responded the other Brown. "Once I found out that he was telling me the truth, though... Well, I was very amazed that I would invent something that actually works. Mostly, I just felt so much shock."

"In a way, though," commented the first Brown, "you're lucky. Even though I imagine that you sure must've had your hands full. I remember you telling me that you had to find a way to send Marty back home. Finding out that one of your experiments..."

Marty could not take it, anymore. He quickly washed his hands, as he decided that he needed to get some answers. He quickly stepped out, and headed towards the table.

"Marty!" gasped one of the Browns, as he looked up. "I, uh... I did not see you come in! Is there anything you need? Have you, uh... Have you listened to us talking?"

"Yeah, I have," Marty replied, quietly. "I've heard everything. Also, when I was in the living room, I found some diagrams that you had... for a time machine. At first, I quite dismissed the whole thing as nonsense - but it sounds as if you guys really believe..."

"Why don't you wait here?" suggested the other Brown. "I guess we might as well just let you and your girlfriend know what's going on. I know we haven't been very honest with you, but this is... Well, this is not something that we can just let anyone know."

"I guess I understand," Marty replied, in a near whisper. "In fact, I quite doubt that I would've even believed you. In fact, I probably would've thought that you were a bit crazy. So, uh, this other me... He isn't actually Michael J Fox? He's my other self?"

"Precisely!" replied the other Brown. "I'll go fetch your girlfriend, as well as your other self and his girlfriend - and then we'll explain everything to you. Just try to relax."

Marty nodded, as he watched the other Brown leave the room. While he could almost accept that his look-alike was his other self, he still felt a little confused about why his other self's girlfriend was not Sarah Parker. Was "Claudia Wells" even her real name?

"So, uh, what is this big news you wanted to tell us?" Sarah was asking, as he entered the room. "Michael" and "Claudia" were right behind her. "It must be very interesting."

"Oh, it really is," confirmed the other Brown. "Before I tell you, though... Well, Sarah, I want you to take a good look at Claudia - and tell us if she reminds you of somebody that you know. Does she, by any chance, happen to remind you of a close relative?"

"In fact, she does," Sarah replied, softly. "She quite looks a lot like my cousin, believe it or not. We were even talking about it, earlier. Her name is Jennifer Parker, and she lives in Green Valley. How did you guess, Dr. Brown? Did Claudia tell you about that?"

"Well, no, not quite," the other Brown replied, softly. "I'm not sure how to tell you this - but, the thing is, Claudia... Well, she actually _is_ your cousin! She's not quite the version of your cousin that you know, but she is none other than Jennifer Parker."

"No, she can't be Jennifer!" Sarah insisted, emphatically. "Jenn and her friends are in Jamaica - and they're won't return, until next Wednesday. I sure don't get what trick you're trying to pull, but I ain't falling for it! You think I don't keep tabs on my cousin? For your information, we happen to be very close friends - as well as being cousins."

"He's telling the truth, Sarah," Marty confirmed. "I heard them talking about it, while I was in the washroom. They weren't quite expecting me to listen. Also, Michael is your boyfriend's other self. This Jennifer is not really the same Jennifer that's in Jamaica."

"I don't quite understand this," Sarah grumbled, sighing. "Although, Marty and Michael quite do look a lot alike. If what you're saying simply is true, though - then why is your other self dating my cousin, instead of me? That certainly doesn't make sense to me."

"I don't really understand that, either," Marty replied, softly. "After all, I can't imagine being with anyone else - even if your cousin is very cool, and all. Still, there is also the issue with the diagrams that I saw. Initially, I had dismissed it as nonsense - but... It's pretty hard to argue against evidence. I am rather curious to learn more about this."

"Well, uh, I..." Sarah started to say, as she grabbed a seat. "I have to admit, it quite seems odd to encounter someone who looks like you _and_ someone who looks like my cousin - both at the same time. All right, then. Dr. Browns, please enlighten us."

"We will," replied the other Dr. Brown. "I'm also not Christopher Lloyd Brown. We both happen to be Emmett Lathrop Brown, in fact. I'm not from this world, though. You see how there were those diagrams? Well, the thing is, we're from a different timeline."

"What he's saying is," the first Dr. Brown commented, "is that he came from a timeline where Hill Valley is still a populated town, along with Jennifer and the other Marty. It'll be a pretty complex story. But here's the thing. All three of them live in Hill Valley. It's because of something that happened in 1881, that Hill Valley became a ghost town."

"We do apologize for inconveniencing you," added Marty's counterpart, "but that was why we had involved you guys. We were hoping that you might be able to shed some light on what happened, and what had caused Hill Valley to become a ghost town."

"My mother used to always talk about Hill Valley," Marty explained, softly. "She would always get that faraway look in her eyes - as if she simply longed for the days before the... the incident happened. I often rather wondered what her childhood was like."

"Well, I think I can answer that," replied Marty's counterpart. "During her teen years, she was quite happy - even if she seemed a bit boy crazy. I mean, the way she fell in love with me - after her father hit me with his car. That week in 1955 was just the..."

"Wait a minute!" Marty gasped, with horror. "How could my own mother... fall for me? I mean, even if it was her teen self. Even if she had no real idea that I was her future son, how could she simply think of me in that... that manner? Surely, she had to know that I was not... No offence, but thinking about this really makes me feel... feel sick!"

"No offence taken," replied the other Marty. "As soon as she kissed me, she began to realize that something was wrong. Had I known that, I rather would've let her kiss me straight away. It actually might've made the week go a little more smoothly for me."

"Well, I certainly don't envy you," Marty replied, shuddering. "Y'know, I quite do miss my parents - even if they sure were far from perfect. I know I wasn't appreciative of them, and... I don't see Dave cry, quite that much - but I do remember how much he cried, as soon as heard the news about the accident. He and Dad were very close."

"My God!" Sarah gasped, astonished. "I guess you guys are telling the truth! I feel so stunned! I mean, this seems like some sort of a strange dream. What I want to know, though, is why the other you is dating my cousin - instead of me. I mean, it's just..."

"It's because Jennifer and I both live in Hill Valley," the other Marty explained, "while you still lived in Elmdale, when I first met Jenn. I understand the feeling, though. I'm probably never gonna quite get used to the idea, but... That's just the way it is."

Marty sighed, just as he glanced around the room. He began to wonder if his life ever would be the same. He really was just as curious to learn about his other self's life, as his other self was curious to learn about his. He often really did wish that his life could be a little different, but he never dreamed of meeting another version of himself.


	12. Chapter 11

_June 20, 1987  
7:05 PM PDT_

"I really enjoy your band's music," Visiting Marty commented, admiringly. "It's cool that you guys rather performed some of the same songs that our band did. Of course, half of the band is the same. Now, I do regret that I didn't bring _our_ music along. But, even if we did, we still simply might not have been able to listen to it. The music on the tapes might've shifted with the timeline, to be... replaced by _your_ band's music."

"That would be the most likely scenario," Visiting Doc agreed, nodding. "In fact, it'd be very akin to the situation with the newspapers - in which the articles change to reflect the new timeline. As such, the ripple effect would simply cause the music on the tapes to shift to that of your new band. That's also why we can't spend much time here."

"Oh, man, this really is heavy!" Visiting Marty groaned. "What you're saying is that, if we stay here, then we could be... erased from existence?" Visiting Doc nodded. "This is so frightening. Well, how _did_ we cause Hill Valley to become a ghost town?"

"Honey, I'm home!" called out a somewhat familiar feminine voice. When Visiting Marty turned around, he could rather recognize the woman walking into the house. It had to be Jessica Hoffman. He had encountered other worlds in which Doc married Jessica.

"Hi, honey!" Local Doc called out, as he threw his arms around the woman. "You must be wondering who all these people in our house are. Well, it's a bit of a long story."

"In fact, yeah, I was quite curious about that," Jessica replied, as she glanced around the kitchen. "Especially the man that looks so much like you. He's not a cousin, is he?"

"Actually, no, he isn't," Local Doc replied, softly. "He's actually, uh, me. But he's me... from another timeline. He's me from a timeline... where Hill Valley never became a... a ghost town. One of the Martys... and Jennifer... has also come from that timeline."

"Oh, Emmett," Jessica groaned, sighing. "I thought you never took trips to the past... only to the future. If that's the case, then how can there really be another you - from another timeline? That doesn't make sense! Is there something you're not telling me?"

"It's not him," Visiting Doc replied, softly. "It's me. Marty, Jennifer, and I have decided to take a trip to the year 1881. We opted to go to Hillcrest, Nevada - so that we could witness the great bet between the Hill brothers. We don't quite know what happened, though - that would just cause Hill Valley to... This is what we're trying to figure out."

"Oh, dear," Jessica muttered. "Well, all I know is that a robbery took place in the year 1959. The thieves never got caught, so we don't know who did it. Anyway, the whole thing just blows my mind. This entire timeline actually exists... because of you guys?"

"Precisely!" Visiting Doc replied, emphatically. "I understand that it really must be hard for you to accept. After all, this is the only life that you know. I'd feel the same way."

"Well, there should be quite enough doughnuts to go around," Jessica commented, as she placed a box on the table. "Anyway, you still haven't really told me who are other two guests are. Which one of these boys is Marty? And which girl would be Jennifer?"

"Both boys are Marty," Local Doc explained, "but the other is the Marty of this world. We asked him and his girlfriend to come with us, in case they might be able to give us any clues. Of course, I apologize for any inconvenience we might've caused them."

"That's okay, uh, Dr. Brown," Local Marty replied, softly. "I was a little disappointed to find out that the other me wasn't really Michael J Fox, but it's still simply... interesting. After all, it's not everyday that you meet... another you. Still, I'm sure baffled by how my counterpart is dating Sarah's cousin - instead of Sarah. It makes me feel uneasy."

"It definitely makes _me_ feel very discombobulated," Sarah commented, sighing. "I mean, to think that Marty might've ended up with my cousin - if the situation had been different." Turning to Jennifer, she asked, "I bet you must be feeling the same way."

"Actually, I already did know about other worlds," Jennifer replied, softly, "where you and Marty ended up being together. At first, though, I really did feel the same way."

"That's interesting," Jessica commented, sighing. "I really have no idea how I'd feel, if there was another world... where Emmett ended up... being with someone else." She turned to Local Doc, and added, "You _are_ with me, where you're from - right?"

Visiting Marty glanced at Visiting Doc, as he was rather curious of how his friend would answer the question. Visiting Doc looked very uneasy, as he furrowed his brows.

"Actually, no, I'm really not," Visiting Doc replied, in a near whisper. "I'm actually with your great-great-grandaunt, Clara Clayton. The one that fell into the... the ravine."

"No kidding!" Jessica gasped. "You ended up with a past relative of mine? By the way, what made you decide to start... travelling to the past? No offence, but I sure think it was a careless thing to do. Just whatever were you thinking of, doing such a thing?"

"I did not do it on purpose," Visiting Doc replied, somewhat defensively. "It's a... Well, it's a long... and very complicated... story. You see, it started with Marty ending up in 1955. In fact, it was on the same day that I had the vision for the flux capacitor."

"That is very interesting..." Jessica muttered. "... and confusing. Well, how did Marty end up in 1955? Why do you suppose your... original self... sent him back in time?"

"Well, it wasn't exactly done deliberately," Visiting Doc explained. "I mean, I was shot by some... terrorists. Marty was on a run from them, and... Well, by accident, he had ended up turning the time circuits on - and that's how he... he ended up in 1955."

"I really don't know what to say," Jessica replied, stunned. "That still does not explain how you ended up with Clara Clayton. It was in 1885... that she fell to her death."

"Well, after Marty returned to 1985," Visiting Doc explained, "I quite decided to go to the year 2015 - which is, after all, thirty years later. At some point thereafter, the... the time circuits began to malfunction, and that's how I ended up in the year 1885."

"I suppose that makes sense, sort of," Jessica replied, quietly. "I still don't understand how ended up falling for Clara, though. I mean, how did you keep her from falling in?"

"Well, I had offered to pick her up at the train station," Visiting Doc replied. "I had no idea of what her name was, just that she was a schoolteacher. I quite learned about Clara, after Marty went back to 1885. I had then decided against picking her up."

"You what?" Jessica gasped, shocked. "You mean you actually decided that you were gonna let her fall into the ravine? Granted, it was what happened - but how could..."

"I didn't exactly make the connection between her name and the ravine," Visiting Doc explained. "I assumed that she'd get another ride to her place. I was quite trying not to alter history by falling in love with someone that... that was in the distant past."

"Neither of us made the connection," Visiting Marty added. "I mean, I knew the legend of Clayton Ravine - but I didn't quite know the teacher's first name. Also, we were too preoccupied with getting back to 1985 to really notice that her last name was the..."

"When we heard the sound of a woman screaming," Visiting Doc continued, "we simply acted on the spur of the moment. As such, we ended up rescuing Clara - and it was... love at first sight. Therefore, it really wasn't something that I deliberately planned."

"Okay, I guess I understand," Jessica replied, sighing. "I mean, I'm not exactly happy with the idea - but I... I suppose that would quite explain why you opted to take trips to the past. So, uh, would you two also simply happen to be... be pregnant with your first child? Our first child is due this December. We're planning on naming him Jules."

"Actually, we have three children," Visiting Doc explained. "Jules is our oldest. Verne is our middle child. And then there's Haven, who's seven months old. I was quite stuck in the past, for nearly nine years - until I managed to finish building myself a time train."

"I must say," Local Doc commented, stunned, "I almost envy you. I always did have a desire to visit the Old West, but knew that it would be risky. Also, I sure can't imagine ending up with someone else... besides Jessica. I mean, Jessica's the love of my life."

"Yeah, and that's just how I feel about Clara," Visiting Doc replied. "You two shouldn't question your love for each other, though. Two timelines, two destinies. It did bother me, at first - but then I rather encountered several universes in which... in which you two ended up together. Learning that didn't change my own relationship with Clara."

"I suppose that make me feel a little better," Jessica commented, softly. "Still, I quite can't help but feel... a little unease... with the whole situation. Anyway, if you spent nine years in the past, then... you're about nine years older than _my_ Emmett."

"More or less," Visiting Doc replied. "Well, I sure could go for some doughnuts. It might help to clear up our minds, a little. We can't stay here, for too long - but we... I simply would like to restore the timeline back to ours - and, first, we need to think of how."

"Well, it's sure interesting to meet you," Jessica commented, nodding. "I'm still not too thrilled about you being with Clara, but I guess... I guess it's not quite something that you can control. Come to think of it, I always was quite curious about Hill Valley. After all, it was the town that Emmett grew up in. It sounds like it was a... very nice town."

Visiting Marty nodded, as he reached for a powdered doughnut. He started to think of his own feelings about Sarah Parker. He always felt that she really was a nice girl, and he understood her closeness with Jennifer. Still, he really believed Sarah to be a great friend - and nothing more. Jennifer was the only girl that he felt passionate love for.


End file.
